We will meet at 10 a.m. at the Rite Aid in Ashland and make our way into the Monument from there. Carpooling is optional.

The hike will be on the Green Springs Mountain Loop Trail, which is fairly flat and covers 2.2 miles at 4,200′ elevation.

Join the dynamic and knowledgeable Rich Fairbanks as he shares the history and ecology of fire in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. He will discuss both modern and indigenous management practices informed by his own personal experience and consultation from indigenous people, who gave him permission to share. He also will take us on an historic journey through the Klamathon and Oregon Gulch fires within the Monument and introduce us to the response of plants to fire and how to recognize fire scars. We will learn enough about fire behavior to understand how fire has shaped the Monument in big ways and the need for more funding to be directed toward the proper protection and stewardship of its resources.

Rich Fairbanks has a wealth of knowledge and interesting stories through his work with the U.S. Forest Service for 32 years in fire management, planning, and silviculture. He held various positions in the organization including Interagency Hotshot Crew Foreman, Division Supervisor and ID Team leader for the Biscuit Fire Recovery Project. For five years, he also worked for The California Fire Program of the Wilderness Society. Rich has a degree in forestry and holds a Master’s degree in planning. He currently owns a small forest management company. He and his wife live in the mixed conifer forest of the Applegate where they do a considerable amount of under burning.

The Friends of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument’s mission is to support the protection, restoration and conservation of the Monument through service, advocacy and education. Our Hike and Learn programs are designed to introduce the public to different topics and locations within the Monument. Hike and Learns are co-created with local scientists, historians, artists, students, and more.